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Beginning in his hometown of New Orleans, Clint Smith leads the reader on an unforgettable tour of monuments and landmarks—those that are honest about the past and those that are not—that offer an intergenerational story of how slavery has been central in shaping our nation’s collective history, and ourselves.

It is the story of the Monticello Plantation in Virginia, the estate where Thomas Jefferson wrote letters espousing the urgent need for liberty while enslaving more than four hundred people. It is the story of the Whitney Plantation, one of the only former plantations devoted to preserving the experience of the enslaved people whose lives and work sustained it. It is the story of Angola, a former plantation–turned–maximum-security prison in Louisiana that is filled with Black men who work across the 18,000-acre land for virtually no pay. And it is the story of Blandford Cemetery, the final resting place of tens of thousands of Confederate soldiers.

A deeply researched and transporting exploration of the legacy of slavery and its imprint on centuries of American history, How the Word Is Passed illustrates how some of our country’s most essential stories are hidden in plain view—whether in places we might drive by on our way to work, holidays such as Juneteenth, or entire neighborhoods like downtown Manhattan, where the brutal history of the trade in enslaved men, women, and children has been deeply imprinted.

Informed by scholarship and brought to life by the story of people living today, Smith’s debut work of nonfiction is a landmark of reflection and insight that offers a new understanding of the hopeful role that memory and history can play in making sense of our country and how it has come to be.

How the Word Is Passed: A Reckoning with the History of Slavery Across America by Clint Smith is a powerful and moving work that examines the legacy of slavery in the United States through the lens of nine historical sites.

From the plantation where Frederick Douglass was enslaved to the unmarked burial ground where thousands of African Americans were interred, Smith uncovers the stories of those who were enslaved and those who fought for their freedom.

With eloquence and empathy, Smith weaves together history, memoir, and reportage to create a portrait of a nation still grappling with its past. He shows how the legacy of slavery continues to shape our present, from the wealth gap to the mass incarceration of Black people.

But How the Word Is Passed is not just a story of pain and suffering. It is also a story of resilience and hope. Smith highlights the efforts of those who are working to preserve and commemorate the history of slavery, and he argues that we must all reckon with this history in order to build a more just and equitable future.

How the Word Is Passed is an essential read for anyone who wants to understand the history of slavery in the United States and its continuing impact on our society.

Here are some of the key insights from How the Word Is Passed:

• The history of slavery in the United States is a story of systemic racism and oppression.
• The legacy of slavery continues to shape our present, from the wealth gap to the mass incarceration of Black people.
• We must all reckon with the history of slavery in order to build a more just and equitable future.

How the Word Is Passed is a powerful and moving work that is sure to stay with you long after you finish reading it.

Available Formats:

• Hardcover
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Order your copy of How the Word Is Passed today!